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Nota Bene - Vol. 17 Issue 13

Tuskegee Airman Harold Brown to deliver commencement address

At its meeting last weekend, the Board of Trustees approved the slate of speakers for undergraduate and graduate commencement and baccalaureate services May 11-12.

Undergraduates will have the unique opportunity to hear from Lt. Col. Harold H. Brown, one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, who will deliver the keynote address during commencement May 12. He joined the 332nd Fighter Group and completed 30 missions before being shot down and held as a POW in Germany. The 332nd Fighter Group was a group of African American pilots who fought in World War 11 and was the first black military aviator corps in the U.S. Armed forces. Returning home in 1945, Brown remained on active duty for 23 years.

In addition to a distinguished military career, Brown has a successful second career in higher education. After his military retirement, he rose through the ranks at Columbus State Community College, earning his Ph.D. degree, and serving as faculty member, department chair, dean and vice president of Academic Affairs. In his third career as a consultant, he works with the Ohio Board of Career Colleges and Schools and runs his own consulting firm. He is married to HU Trustee Dr. Marsha Bordner.

Addressing graduate students at their May 11 commencement will be Dr. William Rayburn, co-founder, CEO and board chair of FNC Inc., a pioneering mortgage technology company whose clients include some of the largest mortgage lenders and industry-leading appraisal management companies. Prior to establishing FNC, Rayburn co-founded two other successful ventures, a residential real estate development company and a seminar and training company. He also served on the University of Mississippi faculty for 12 years. He is active in philanthropy and on the speaker circuit.

Heidelberg will welcome the Rev. Dr. David Mark Greenhaw, president and professor of preaching and worship at Eden Theological Seminary as the baccalaureate speaker on May 12. An ordained minister of the UCC, Greenhaw has served congregations in New York, New Jersey, Tennessee and Missouri. Although busy with administrative matters, teaching and preaching remain his passions. He has taught courses in homiletics (the art of writing and preaching sermons) and liturgics, and has published extensively in those areas.

Baseball team to dedicatememorial to armed forces

Thanks to the generosity of one of Heidelberg University’s baseball families, the Student Prince baseball team and the university are preparing to dedicate a new memorial that now stands at Peaceful Valley.

Patriots Park at Peaceful Valley honors all branches of the military as well as the soldiers who have served our country through the years. The dedication ceremony is planned for noon, Sunday, March 17, preceding Heidelberg’s 1 p.m. home baseball game vs. Manchester College.

The memorial is a gift from Bob and Julie Lowe of Naples, Fla., whose sons, Andy, ’11, and Teddy, a current senior, have had excellent experiences as members of the Heidelberg baseball team. Every member of the team had a hand in constructing the memorial last fall and completing it this year.

“With Teddy in his last year (at Heidelberg), we wanted to leave something at the Berg park that makes it uniquely different from other parks so that everyone would remember Peaceful Valley and want to bring their families there,” said Bob Lowe. “We wanted this to be unique to the ‘Berg.”

Additionally, the Lowes said their gift of the memorial is an expression of thanks “for the incredible experience our boys have enjoyed at the Berg.”

AD and head coach Matt Palm expressed his appreciation for the memorial and what it represents, and for other improvements to Peaceful Valley, funded by the Lowe family.

“They came to us with this idea, and we loved it,” Matt said. “This project has a tremendous impact. No other Division III facility has anything like it.”

Kid scientists

On Thursday, the Department of Biological and Environmental Science hosted about 50 future scientists from Tiffin Middle School and the North Central Academy, who came to campus for Young Scientist Day. Heidelberg education, environmental science, chemistry, athletic training and biology students assisted Dr. Pam Faber and Ellen Ewing, who organized the event. Pam and Ellen presented sessions, along with and Drs. Ken Baker and Nate Beres, and NCWQR staff member Jakob Boehler. The middle-schoolers learned about such topics as how the human body functions, radio tracking and fun activities such as making silly putty. Cooperating teachers were Jim Mason and Jennifer Bupp, both Heidelberg alumni.

Assessment is topic of first Education Summit

The School of Education will present its inaugural Education Summit on the topic of assessment March 21-22. Co-sponsors for the summit are the Friends of Heidelberg Education alumni organization and Kappa Delta Pi, the education student honorary.

Area educators are invited to participate in the summit, titled Assessment: Teaching to the Test or Teaching for Learning? It is designed to engage pre-service teachers, area school administrators, teachers and alumni in conversations about student learning, testing and accountability.

Heidelberg will welcome keynote speaker Dr. George H. Wood, former Ohio University education professor who is currently serving as superintendent and high school principal of Federal Hocking Local Schools in Stewart, Ohio. An author and advocate for democracy in education and empowerment of teachers and children, Wood serves as executive director of the Forum for Education and Democracy.

The summit kicks off at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 21, with Wood’s keynote address. On Friday, March 22, a series of presentations are scheduled, beginning at 9 a.m. A panel discussion will conclude the summit.

Legislators get lessonabout NCWQR

A group of state and national legislators and their representatives visited the National Center for Water Quality Research Feb. 14 and Feb. 20 to learn about the lab’s programs and its extensive research.

“We wanted them to be aware of the NCWQR, its programs and its importance to national issues involving water quality and causes of water pollution,” said lab director Dr. Ken Krieger, who organized the legislative days.

While the representatives toured the facility, NCWQR staff members demonstrated equipment used in their research and spoke about the extensive data sets collected over the past four-plus decades. The lab uses its water quality data to understand and interpret the impacts of food production on soil and water resources, the status of water quality, the effects of water quality on aquatic ecosystems and future implications for the availability of healthy, usable water.

As a leader in surface and ground water research and monitoring in the Great Lakes region and beyond, the lab seeks its funding entirely from state and national government and private foundation sources.

State Rep. Rex Damschroder, R-Fremont, was on campus two weeks, along with representatives of U.S. Reps. Bob Gibbs and Jim Jordan and U.S. Sen. Rob Portman. Jordan, who was unable to come to campus on Feb. 14, visited last week. President Rob Huntington and Provost David Weininger were on hand to greet the legislators.

Future teachers, profattend conference

Dr. Karen A. Jones attended the Ohio Middle School Association annual conference Feb. 21-22 in Sandusky, accompanied by a group of eight Heidelberg education students. At the conference, Karen presented a breakout session titled Are You Willing? The session addresses her research on controversial questions asked in the middle school classroom and what a teacher does to answer them. The conference brought together educators from across the state to learn more about Ohio academic content standards, programs and activities that nurture the young adolescent and the demands of higher education institutions to produce quality educators. The HU students attended various sessions on professional development.

Pursuits

Dr. Jim Troha (IAUR) was the keynote speaker at the All Boards Meeting of the North Central Ohio Educational Service Center Wednesday night. The group was comprised of boards of education from Seneca, Marion, Sandusky and Wyandot counties. Jim’s remarks to the estimated 120 attendees were titled Boardsmanship, Expectations & Commitment. He gave a brief overview of board participation, the 10 basic responsibilities of boards and effective/efficient meetings. A Q&A session followed his presentation.

Dr. Doug McConnell (music) was a guest composer at the University of Wisconsin at Manitowoc Feb. 4. During the day, he participated in a panel discussion as part of Inclusive Excellence, a day of lectures, workshops and related activities that celebrated diversity on campus. In the evening, he headlined a special concert called And the Song Breaks its Jail: Song Cycles of Struggle, Oppression and Empowerment in Race, Gender and Sexuality. Included on the program, along with song cycles by Benjamin Britten and Libby Larsen, was Doug’s Langston’s Lot for tenor voice, alto saxophone and piano. Doug offered a brief lecture on the music before the performance, which included Heidelberg alumna Rosemary (McGee) Walzer, ’06, on the saxophone.

Cynthia Suter (Registrar) has joined the Junior Achievement program at Hopewell-Loudon School. JA empowers young people toward their own economic success. It is volunteer-delivered, kindergarten through high school program that fosters work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills. Cindy is focusing on the JA elementary curriculum that builds up to the more recognized high school programs.

Dr. David Bush (anthropology) gave a presentation to the Johnson’s Island Civil War Roundtable on Feb. 24 titled Johnson’s Island Civil war Prison: An Update. There was a crowd of about 45 at this meeting, held at T.J. Willie’s.

Alumnus Todd Edmond (education adjunct) has been chosen for The Henry Ford 2013 Teacher Fellow program. He will be working with The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village – the place that turned an 8-year-old into a history teacher years later. Paula Gangopadhyay, chief learning officer for the museum, said the program sought teacher leaders who brought not just passion and experience, but a distinct edge to match its current dynamic education vision and action plans.

Spring Break hours

Friends of Beeghly Library fill a void

A generous gift of $5,000 from the Friends of Beeghly Library has allowed the library to acquire an online journal collection that is often asked for by students and faculty. The library also contributed an equal amount to gain access to the core collection of 150 journal titles in JSTOR: Arts & Sciences I.

This back file of journals in the humanities and social sciences includes 52 titles that were already owned by the library in print and on microfilm, but the online format allows greater access to their content, as well as that of 100 more academic journals.

The articles in the JSTOR periodicals in this collection will be accessible using the “Find It” button when an article is identified in the research databases, and are also locatable in the library’s Electronic Journal Finder. While on campus, JSTOR is directly searchable from the organization search page, http://www.jstor.org. JSTOR also appears in our listing of research databases found on the Beeghly Library web site, and that includes a link to off-campus access for Heidelberg students, faculty and staff.

The Beeghly Library staff thanks the Friends of Beeghly for its gift that enhances the library’s collection and contributes to the academic endeavors of our students and faculty.

Country information database good for business, travel

A to Z Business World is a new database added to the Beeghly Library list of research databases. This full content resource provides basic country information, but goes way beyond that. It includes listings of common vocabulary for business and travel, information on government, holidays and customs, and even offers insights into common misperceptions and stereotypes on the country and culture. There are links to news sources for the latest country news, and the entries are revised on a regular basis.

Be sure to go to A to Z Business World before leaving for your next international adventure.

Edible Books Fest April 14

The Edible Books Fest, sponsored by the Friends of Beeghly Library, returns to Heidelberg on April 14, at 5:30 p.m. in the Wickham Great Hall. To participate, bring an item representative of a book or literary concept that is entirely made from edible ingredients and receive one free admission per entry. Not interested in creating a dish? Come anyway and make a cash donation to stay and eat the edible books.

A team of notable judges will evaluate the entries and award prizes for the best appetizer, side dish, entrée, dessert or beverage, Harry Potter dish, Greek Society entry, children’s creation and parent/child creation. The most humorous, delicious, aesthetically pleasing (a.k.a. pretty), and the People’s Choice awards can be chosen from any category.

Spring break is a great time to come up with ideas and to test them out. Go to the Friends of the Library’s Edible Books Fest website www.heidelberg.edu/library/friends/bookfest to see entries from previous years and to link to examples of edible books from locations around the world. For further information, contact Nancy Rubenstein, nrubenst@heidelberg.edu or x2106.

Spring (Break) cleaning

During Spring Break start clearing out some of the books you no longer use and contribute them to Beeghly Library for its book sale, later this spring. Popular titles are welcome, along with academic volumes. Please phone the library at x2104 before bringing the books to be sure someone will be available to receive them. The library will be open Monday–Friday during the day on Spring Break.

Berg Rewind

Innovation, teaching, research honored

The annual Faculty Awards Dinner is a highly anticipated event each spring semester. This year’s event marked the presentation of the first-ever Innovative Teaching Award to Dr. Amy Berger. In addition to Amy, Drs. Susan Carty, Daryl Close and Marc O’Reilly were honored for their outstanding teaching, research and commitment to the humanities.

A boost for faculty development

Businessman James F. Dicke II has been generous to Heidelberg over the past decade. Dicke’s latest gift will have a profound impact on people. President Rob Huntington announced at the annual Faculty Awards Dinner Feb. 22 that Dicke has committed $1.25 million that is being designated for professional development activities of faculty and academic staff.

Record-setting SRC

A record number of students, 94 in all, made the 20th annual Minds @ Work Student Research Conference on Feb. 21 one to remember, giving more than 100 presentations. Keynote speaker Dr. Mike Boehm, ’87, added depth and inspiration to the conference, speaking about the foundation his Heidelberg education provided for his successful career as a scientist and now, a senior administrator in higher education.

Hidden benefit of study abroad

During the fall semester, junior Spanish major Sonia Nazario was in Seville, Spain, immersed in the culture of that country, her Spanish language skills improving daily. But there was a surprise benefit to her study-abroad experience. When she returned home, Sonia discovered a new connection to her Spanish-speaking grandmother.

Up-and-coming author to visit

Highly acclaimed mystery-crime fiction author Megan Abbott will make her first appearance on an Ohio college campus when she visits Heidelberg on March 26, including a public reading and book signing in the evening.

Alumna is PALS keynote

Heidelberg will welcome alumna Jerilyn Medrea, ’77, global head of talent engagement for Liquidnet, a global institution trading network that represents the values and services of the “new Wall Street,” as the guest for the spring Patricia Adams Lecture Series in April.

Business students get career advice from Executive-in-Residence

The Heidelberg School of Business hosted Owens-Illinois executive Ed White Feb. 21-22 as part of its Executive-in-Residence program. White, retired senior vice president and chief financial officer of O-I, led a career preparation panel for business students Thursday night. On Friday, he visited several business classes, including Dr. Brian Saxton’s (shown here), and interacted with prospective students and their parents as part of Business Preview Day. HSB will host its next Executive-in-Residence, Trustee Kathleen Geier, in April. More at www.heidelberg.edu/newsevents/2013/white.

Follow wrestling’stournament progress

The 2013 OAC champion Heidelberg wrestling team is competing this weekend at the national qualifying Mideast Regional Tournament. The tournament begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at Ohio Northern University.

You can follow the team’s progress on Twitter @BergWrestling.

The top three placers in each weight class will qualify for the NCAA Division III national tournament in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Go Berg!

TAG it: Students expressthanks to donors

Heidelberg’s Student Alumni Association organized the campus’ participation in TAG (Thank A Giver) Day, as part of National Student Philanthropy Day Thursday.

“The goal and purpose of this event is to bring awareness and understanding of philanthropy to our student body,” said Ashley Helmstetter. Students gathered in Saurwein Health & Wellness Center and The University Commons for fun, food and donor appreciation activities.

Students signed thank-you postcards to donors and expressed their thanks by completing the sentences “Your gift helped me to …..” and “Thanks to you, I am able to …..” on large white boards. SAA members asked their professors to wear TAG Day stickers and about 100 locations on campus – those that are tied to donations – also were “tagged.”

Students earned prizes for a trivia contest. They also were asked to trend on Twitter; the first 20 to do so received a TAG Day T-shirt.

Ashley explained that TAG Day also is serving as the kickoff for the Senior Class Giving program. Each senior will be asked to contribute $20.13 in honor of their graduation year and as a beginning point to an attitude of philanthropy. “With their gift, they will have the opportunity to thank a person who helped make their Heidelberg experience possible and rewarding,” she said. Those designations will appear in a special insert in the commencement program.

“This day is all about education and awareness, fund-raising and stewardship, neatly wrapped up and tied up with a tag,” Ashley said.

School of Education exceeds ‘value-added’ criteria

This 2012 Education Preparation Performance Report, recently released by the Ohio Board of Regents, reaffirms what Heidelberg’s School of Education has known for some time: the program prepares and graduates effective educators.

Heidelberg was among seven of Ohio’s 51 teacher preparation programs that had more than 95 percent of its recent graduates meet or exceed a measure called “value-added,” a statistical measure that shows whether students made a year’s worth of academic progress in a given year, regardless of what they knew at the start of the year. The report includes people who teach math and reading in grades 4-8 for the past three years.

Chemists cut loose

Eighteen students who are members of the Chemistry Club and their two faculty advisors, Dr. Nate Beres and Dr. Aaron Roerdink, hit the lanes last week for an evening of bowling fun.

Sharing in the kitchen

A group of HU Chinese graduate students and staff members put their culinary talents to good use Monday as they helped to prepare the meal at the Sharing Kitchen at St. Paul United Methodist Church in downtown Tiffin. The volunteer service project was organized by Jessica Fincham. Participants include Juli Weininger, Cindy Suter, Ellen Nagy, Paul Stark, Cathy Kessler and Julie Arnold.

HU Speech Team bringshome trophies

Heidelberg University Speech Team members Hannah Long-Higgins and Ashley Racicot brought home a third-place team trophy at the 2013 Ohio Forensic Association's State Varsity Championship at Marietta College Feb. 15-16.

Hannah earned individual awards placing third in After Dinner Speaking, fifth in Programmed Oral Interpretation and fifth in Prose Interpretation. Ashley placed sixth in After Dinner Speaking. The team, coached by Dan Higgins, also won the Quality Speakers’ Award.

The team travels next to St. Louis on March 13-16 for Pi Kappa Delta's 100th National Convention and Tournament.

Hip Hop for Love

Omar Offendum performed Hip Hop for Love at Seiberling Gymnasium last Saturday. The event was organized by Heidelberg students (shown L-R with Offendum in the center) Erik Furst, Abdu El Fargani, Kaise El Forgani and Hamid Sharif. DJ Ken provided music prior to the start of the concert. All proceeds went to Omeid International, an organization which works to provide Afghan orphans with housing, education, nutrition and other fundamental necessities for their development.

Where to park: More spaces reserved for faculty/staff

A total of 68 parking spaces in the Gillmor, Founders/Gundlach and Aigler lots – although existing spaces – have now been designated with new signage as faculty and staff parking.

The Krammes staff has installed signage for 22 spaces in the Gillmor lot, 31 in the Founders/Gundlach lot and 15 in the Aigler lot. The signs designate the spaces as Faculty and Staff Only parking from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

President Rob Huntington announced the new signage Feb. 22 at the Faculty Awards Dinner. He explained that the issue arose as Dr. Traci Stark, faculty rep to the Board of Trustees, initiated it when prepping for the board meeting with senior leadership.

Eye on Athletics

Men's Basketball

Seniors Nate Davis and Dane Givner ended their highly decorated careers by etching their names in the program's record book. Davis, a first team All-OAC selection this year, is the career blocked shots leader and sits 18th on the all-time scoring list. Givner, an All-OAC Honorable Mention this season, finished eighth on the all-time scoring list and tied for the most steals in program history.

Women's Basketball

Junior Kathleen Phillips, the OAC's leading scorer for the second year in a row, received All-OAC Second Team honors this season. With one more year to play, Phillips is already ninth on the program's all-time scoring list.

Baseball

The baseball team will spend a week and a half of spring break in Florida. The team will play 10 games in the Sunshine State before returning home for a three-game weekend series with Manchester College on March 16-17.

Softball

The softball team will also head to Florida for spring break. Like the men, the women will play 10 games before heading home. Their first home game, March 23, is an OAC doubleheader against Capital.

Produced by the Office of Marketing and Communication ServicesEditor: Angie Giles | agiles@heidelberg.edu